You won't believe the sound my furnace is making! Please help
#1
01-21-14, 07:19 PM
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You won't believe the sound my furnace is making! Please help
here's a video link that shows my problem pretty clearly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmJMXC2RaM
The furnace is an Amana 80 SSE. Any help would be appreciated. I actually threw in the towel on this one (furnaces aren't my thing) and hired an outside guy to come look at it...but he said the furnace looked good to him. At the time it appeared to be operating normally.
I have a couple young kids sleeping in the house with my wife downstairs, is this something I should send them away for? Is it dangerous?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmJMXC2RaM
The furnace is an Amana 80 SSE. Any help would be appreciated. I actually threw in the towel on this one (furnaces aren't my thing) and hired an outside guy to come look at it...but he said the furnace looked good to him. At the time it appeared to be operating normally.
I have a couple young kids sleeping in the house with my wife downstairs, is this something I should send them away for? Is it dangerous?
#2
01-21-14, 07:30 PM
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Strong possibility of a bad blower motor. Available online & pretty easy (usually) to replace. You could try a new capacitor but I think it's the motor. As you stated, capacitors are cheap & easy to replace. It's worth a try.
#3
01-21-14, 07:57 PM
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thanks Grady,
the blower motor, is that on the top or the bottom?
Also, how would I buy one and what do I do in the meantime? Just stock up on electric heaters? I did a quick google search and this is what I found -
https://www.google.com/search?q=draf...icial&tbm=shop
How do I know which one is the right one?
the blower motor, is that on the top or the bottom?
Also, how would I buy one and what do I do in the meantime? Just stock up on electric heaters? I did a quick google search and this is what I found -
https://www.google.com/search?q=draf...icial&tbm=shop
How do I know which one is the right one?
#4
01-21-14, 08:29 PM
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Welcome to the forums.
The blower motor is the one on the bottom that you said is hot to the touch.
The other blower motor up top is called the draft inducer.
That sounds like a defective capacitor. It should be pretty close to the motor. It'll be silver with two wires going to it. It will say something like 8mfd 370vac. Every furnace is different.
Don't let the furnace run growling like that.... the motor will fry. Those caps run around 10 bucks. You can look around your area or in the yellow pages for an HVAC parts seller near you in order to repair that furnace quick.
The blower motor is the one on the bottom that you said is hot to the touch.
The other blower motor up top is called the draft inducer.
That sounds like a defective capacitor. It should be pretty close to the motor. It'll be silver with two wires going to it. It will say something like 8mfd 370vac. Every furnace is different.
Don't let the furnace run growling like that.... the motor will fry. Those caps run around 10 bucks. You can look around your area or in the yellow pages for an HVAC parts seller near you in order to repair that furnace quick.
#5
01-21-14, 08:53 PM
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I was hoping it was the capacitator. I don't think it's the blower motor after doing a bit more research because the noise starts as soon as the furnace turns on. The blower doesn't start right away.
#6
01-22-14, 12:07 PM
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okay the lower blower has been replaced and I also replaced the capacitator. It's much quieter now, but the furnace now doesn't turn on at all. I'm wondering if I did the wiring wrong when putting it back together, but it looks right to me (took pictures before hand)
Now when I turn it on, the high limit switch error happens immediately and I don't get a flame at all. I'm thinking faulty high limit switch? Or loose wiring? Not sure. It seems to me that it can't be overheating though because it's been off for quite awhile (a few hours) and it flashes soon as it is turned on.
Now when I turn it on, the high limit switch error happens immediately and I don't get a flame at all. I'm thinking faulty high limit switch? Or loose wiring? Not sure. It seems to me that it can't be overheating though because it's been off for quite awhile (a few hours) and it flashes soon as it is turned on.
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01-22-14, 02:04 PM
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#8
01-22-14, 02:21 PM
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There are usually three limit switches..... did you check and make sure one of the wires didn't fall off.
You can test it with an ohmmeter set to the ohms scale. The meter should show a value or movement if the switch is good.
You can test it with an ohmmeter set to the ohms scale. The meter should show a value or movement if the switch is good.
#9
01-22-14, 02:30 PM
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still no heat. I'm afraid I might have to get a service tech out here at this point, the house is reaching 45 degrees now. I don't want to deal with frozen pipes. I called and asked what it would cost to replace a open high limit and it will be around $200. There's no one around here that sells one.
If anyone has any other ideas let me know...I don't know what else it could be.
If anyone has any other ideas let me know...I don't know what else it could be.
#10
01-22-14, 02:42 PM
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oh great thanks for the response! I'll go test them right now. I have a multimeter and watched a tutorial vid.
It's set to OHMS scale, black is in COM and red is in V mA. I'll report back in a minute
It's set to OHMS scale, black is in COM and red is in V mA. I'll report back in a minute
#11
01-22-14, 02:53 PM
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okay I did a reading on the high limit and the round disk (not sure what it is)
the high limit registered a resistance I think? The number was bouncing all over the place though.
The round disk showed no reading at all.
the high limit registered a resistance I think? The number was bouncing all over the place though.
The round disk showed no reading at all.
#12
01-22-14, 03:09 PM
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the high limit is stuck open, I ordered a replacement. I think the only thing left is to get the limit out of the furnace. It's behind the gas line(?) in mine, and I will have to take the whole thing out just to get the limit out. No clue how to do that yet. Still searching
#13
01-22-14, 03:44 PM
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You can temporarily bypass the hi limit switch to see if the furnace will start up. You can run it a short while to see if the furnace is stable. You CANNOT walk away while that limit is bypassed. You should be able to feel the duct above the furnace get fairly warm. If that duct gets to the point where you can't touch it then there is an air flow issue.... shut down immediately.
The following is a link, I think, for your furnace.
TechDocs Amana Gas Furnaces SERVICE MANUAL.pdf
The following is a link, I think, for your furnace.
TechDocs Amana Gas Furnaces SERVICE MANUAL.pdf
